21 in Schiltigheim – Alsace 27.08.15

For its 4th participation Mulhousien Castro Besnier, called this week in team of France, will attempt to reach the final table of the 32 boys born in 2004 and after. Photo Alsace/Darek Szuster

Stéphane Godin

After having celebrated their 10th anniversary last year, the EuroMiniChamp's, organized jointly by the League of Alsace and the SU Schiltigheim Tennis de Table, welcome again the cream of the young Europeans of 11 and 12 years old – born in 2003 and 2004 so – from Friday to Sunday at the gymnasium of Maltsters in Schiltigheim.

389 and from players from over 30 nations of the old Continent, but also of India have appointments in the city brewing for what resembles an unofficial European Championship of these two age categories (1). An 11th edition placed under the patronage of the Austrian Werner Schlager, champion of the world 2003 in Paris (2), and relieved by the presence of the new president of the ETTU (European Table Tennis Union), Ronald Kramer.

Since the beginning of week, the Alsatian selection conducted by the Advisor technical Regional Guillaume Simonin, in office for two years, the team of France headed by the former CTR of LATT Damien Loiseau and the Belgian and Russian delegations are internship at the CREPS of Strasbourg and are mutually sparring-partners.

New recordpour the French? In 2013 as in 2014, young French won six medals – their record since the beginning of the EMC in 2005-, which that Camille Lutz Silver (SU Schiltigheim). Last year, the French Alexis Lebrun was the only lights to adorn themselves gold (boys born in 2003). It will be back on track in this weekend to try to sign a double single Marie Migot succeeded before him (in 2009 and 2010).

Twenty-one Alsatians, including four top-wine, will be in the running. But not Camille Lutz, reached the age limit. On paper, there are three likely to walk on his footsteps and those of Solène Haushalter, the only Alsatian never titled the EMC (in 2008): Charlotte Lutz (the little sister Camille), which it will be 2nd, Alda Besnier (Mulhouse TT), the son of former champion of Alsace Pascal, already present during the previous three editions and participation which had prematurely disappeared in 2014 , and Amélie Vogt (Zorn TT Hochfelden), quarter-finalist France Championships.

The first two are also among the Blues retained by Damien Loiseau, but all three will be scrutinized by regional and national technical frameworks. "We hope that one of them at least will be in the big picture of 32 best European," said Guillaume Simonin, "if they were two, it would be really great. Three, would be perfect. Since the beginning of week, 17 Alsatians, most Charlotte and Castro with the France team, prepare for CREPS. With the girls, we had gone in Russia in February. This time, ten Russians – five boys, five girls-, but also seven Belgians give us the reply, so that the French do not play each other. "A way for them to prepare an 11th edition where they will be grappling with what is the best in Europe.